I Find It Hard to Tell You
by arysa13
Summary: Archie walks back into the Whyte Wyrm while Betty is giving her serpent dance.


**Prompt: Archie walks in during Betty's serpent dance, and is shock. Then stomps up to the stage and carry her over his shoulder out. He gets mad at Jughead.**

* * *

Archie stares after the car for what feels like a lifetime. He watches as it disappears into the night, taking Veronica with it. He's still barely comprehending what just happened.

 _It's over_ , he tells himself. That's what Veronica had meant by _I'm sorry._

He clenches his jaw, feeling hollow. He wonders if anyone inside will serve him a drink. Serpents don't care about drinking age laws, right?

He walks back inside, and he can still hear the _Mad World_ playing over the speakers, so he mustn't have been outside as long as he thought. A few seconds. That's all it had taken for his relationship to be over.

He spots Jughead amongst the crowd and weaves his way over to him, noticing about halfway Jughead's pained, almost guilty expression. Archie follows his friend's line of sight to the stage. His stomach drops. Is that _Betty?_

She's dressed in nothing but some flimsy black lingerie, twirling herself around a pole. He's stunned for a moment, his brain unable to amalgamate the Betty he's seeing now with the Betty he knows. His shock only lasts a moment, before it turns to confusion. _Why isn't anyone doing anything?_

He can't see Alice anywhere, so he strides over to Jughead.

"What are you doing?" he hisses, his confusion quickly making way for anger.

"Watching my girlfriend completely degrade herself for my sake," Jughead snorts.

"Why aren't you doing anything?" Archie says. Jughead looks at Archie angrily.

"You think I asked her to do this?"

Archie gives Jughead a look of pure disgust, shaking his head, before charging through the crowd towards the stage, slamming into several Serpents on his way. If Jughead isn't going to stop her, he'll do it himself.

He hoists himself onto the stage, not bothering with the stairs, and stands in front of Betty, blocking her from view of the crowd. They start booing him, but he pays them no mind.

"What are you doing?" she hisses at him, stopping her dance.

"What are _you_ doing?" he returns.

"I'm doing this for Jughead," she tells him. "Now move, the song isn't over."

"No way! Betty, it's one thing to take your clothes off for your boyfriend. But this is a room full of strangers! Most of which are creepy men twice your age!" he says urgently. Betty's expression changes from one of defiance to one of doubt, as if the reality of the situation has only just hit her. She bites her lip, and Archie feels a surge of protectiveness. He has to get her off this stage, _now_.

"Come on," he says, and she lets him lead her off the stage. He scoops to pick up her clothes on the way. He keeps his hand on her back as he leads her to a secluded corner where she can dress privately. He's still angry, but he doesn't want to take it out on her, so he keeps his mouth shut, keeping his eyes averted while she puts her clothes back on shakily. Jughead joins them a second later. Archie feels a surge of resentment towards him. He's supposed to keep Betty _safe,_ not subject her to the leering eyes of a bunch of perverted criminals.

"I need to talk to Betty," Jughead says.

"How could you let this happen?" Archie snaps, and Jughead flinches before his face hardens.

"What's your problem, man?" Jughead bites back.

"My problem is that you keep putting Betty in dangerous situations. I trusted you—"

"You trusted me? You trusted me with her? Is that what you were going to say?" Jughead accuses. "Like I was just keeping her safe for you until you were ready to come back and get her for yourself?"

"No, of course not!" Archie says. "She's not some piece of property."

"I know that! And I'm fully aware of the danger she's in because of me. Which is why I need to talk to her," Jughead says, less angry now.

"Can both of you stop acting like I'm not here?" Betty snaps.

"Betty, can we talk? Outside?" Jughead says. Betty nods, and Jughead gives Archie a regretful look as he heads for the exit, Betty behind him. Archie runs his hand over his face. He tries to calm his racing heart. The whole situation has him riled up. Today it's a pole dance, tomorrow, who knows what it could be. Niggling thoughts that he's tried to squash for months now come bubbling to the surface. _Jughead isn't good for Betty_. _He's not right for her. He's not good enough for her._

Archie would never have let this happen to her. If he was her boyfriend, there is no way she would have convinced herself giving a strip tease to a room full of strangers would please him. And within these thoughts, Archie manages to spot the bottom line.

 _If he was her boyfriend._ He swallows. He wonders what Jughead is saying to her. Unable to keep himself away any longer, he follows them outside, just in time to see Jughead walking away from Betty, back towards the Whyte Wyrm. He doesn't pause when he reaches Archie.

"You don't have to worry anymore," Jughead mutters as he passes.

Archie goes to Betty's side. Her eyes are red and puffy, tears still streaming down her face.

"He broke up with me, Arch," she whispers. Archie immediately pulls her into his arms.

"Hey," he whispers. "It's going to be alright," he promises. He presses a kiss to the top of her head. "We're both going to be alright."


End file.
